Churchill Unveils $9.85M Stakes Schedule

A total of 18 stakes events, topped by the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby and Sept. 4 GI Kentucky Oaks are on tap for the 2020 September Meet at Churchill Downs.

The September Meet stakes schedule is led by the revised Kentucky Derby Week, which was moved from April 25-May 2 to Sept. 1-5 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will feature 14 graded stakes, including the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic and the GI Derby City Distaff, formerly known as the Humana Distaff.

A new addition to the revised Kentucky Derby day stakes schedule is the $200,000 GIII Iroquois presented by Ford, the launch of the Road to the 2021 Kentucky Derby (top 4 points: 10-4-2-1) and a “Win and You’re In Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Division.” The Derby undercard will also feature the GIII Longines Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile, the GII Americna Turf S. and GIII Pat Day Mile.

Kentucky Oaks day will feature the GI La Troienne S., the GII Alysheba S., the GII Eight Belles S,, GII Edgewood S. and GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint S.

The GIII Pocahontas S. for juvenile fillies will be held on Thurby, the Thursday before the Derby. It is a 10-point race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks and is a “Win and You’re In” for the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

The GI Churchill Downs S., which was previously run on Kentucky Derby Day, is tentatively scheduled to be run during the fall meet.

After the Sept. 1-5 Kentucky Derby Week, Churchill Downs will stage its annual nine-day September Meet from Sept. 17-27. The lone stakes event will be the $100,000 Ack Ack for 3-year-olds and up at one mile Sept. 26.

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Danon Pharaoh Too Strong in Japan Dirt Derby

The bettors had it right–well, in a sense.

They pounded the previously undefeated Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) into 1-10 favoritism for Wednesday’s Japan Dirt Derby, but Danon Pharaoh (Jpn) (American Pharoah) had other ideas, as he put away pacesetting Daimei Corrida (Jpn) (Eskendereya) in the final 150 meters en route to a 1 3/4-length success. Kitano Octopus (Jpn) (Fenomeno {Jpn}) rounded out a longshot trifecta that returned better than 7,700-1. The victory was worth 40 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Daimei Corrida jumped alertly from his high draw and crossed the field to lead through the stretch the first time as Danon Pharaoh and Cafe Pharoah raced in close attendance. The favorite, who took an awkward step entering the first turn, and began showing signs of distress 500 meters out, leaving Daimei Corrida and Danon Pharaoh to fight it out to the finish. The front-runner held firm into the final eighth of a mile, but Danon Pharaoh had all the answers, edging clear in the final stages. Cafe Pharoah split the field in seventh.

A maiden winner at second asking last November, Danon Pharaoh added a Kyoto allowance in February. A strong second to Barnard Loop (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in the Listed Hyogo Championship S. at Sonoda May 6, the striking dark bay was well-beaten behind Miyaji Kokuo (Jpn) (Victoire Pisa {Jpn}) when last seen in the Listed Hosu S. at Kyoto May 24.

With victories in the Listed Hyacinth S. and in the G3 Unicorn S. last time, Cafe Pharoah has amassed 70 Kentucky Derby points and can claim the berth in the Run for the Roses if connections so choose. Should they decline the invitation, it will be extended to the connections of Danon Pharaoh.

Danon Pharaoh’s yearling half-brother by Screen Hero (Jpn) (walking video) and his Jan. 23-foaled half-brother by Lord Kanaloa (walking video) each go under the hammer at the JRHA Select Sale on Hokkaido July 13 and 14.

Danon Pharaoh becomes the eighth stakes winner for American Pharoah and his third on the dirt, joining Cafe Pharoah and Harvey’s Lil Goil, who recently added the GIII Regret S. on turf.

 

WATCH: Danon Pharaoh causes the upset in the Japan Dirt Derby

 

Wednesday, Ohi, Japan
JAPAN DIRT DERBY-Listed (Final Leg–Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby), ¥76,500,000, Ohi, 7-8, 3yo, 2000m, 2:05.9, my.
1–DANON PHARAOH (JPN), 123, c, 3, by American Pharoah
1st Dam: Crisp (GISW, $286,431), by El Corredor
2nd Dam: Cat’s Fair, by Sir Cat
3rd Dam: Very Fair, by Honest Pleasure
1ST STAKES WIN. ($350,000 in utero ’16 KEENOV; ¥180,000,000 Ylg ’18 JPNJUL). O-Danox Co Ltd; B-Northern Farm; T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Ryusei Sakai; ¥45,000,000. Lifetime Record: 8-3-2-0, $644,903.
2–Daimei Corrida (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Eskendereya–Miracle Flag (Jpn), by Spicule (Jpn). (¥30,240,000 2yo ’19 JRA2YO). O-Noboru Miyamoto; B-Deguchi Bokujo; T-Naoyuki Morita; J-Kenichi Ikezoe; ¥15,750,000.
3–Kitano Octopus (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Fenomeno (Jpn)–Hiro Angelo (Jpn), by Grass Wonder. O-Naoto Kitasho; B-Mikami Bokujo; T-Noboru Takagi; J-Hironobu Tanabe; ¥9,000,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 5, 1 3/4. Odds: 39.60, 19.50, 49.70.
Also Ran: Bravoure (Jpn), Miyaji Kokuo (Jpn), Aime Limite (Jpn), Cafe Pharoah, Barnard Loop (Jpn), Causey Son Rad (Jpn), Riko Seawolf (Jpn), Gamila’s Jackson (Jpn), Full Flat, Gold Bomber (Jpn).

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Half Ours Colt Zips Fastest Quarter of the Week at OBS

The under-tack show for next week’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s July 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale reached its midway point Wednesday in Central Florida and a colt by Half Ours (hip 383) turned in the week’s fastest quarter-mile so far, covering the distance in :20 1/5. The bay colt is consigned by Sergio Centeno’s Blue River Bloodstock and is out of All About Ju Ju (Into Mischief).

“He prepped in :21 1/5, so I expected he could go :21 flat to :20 4/5, but he worked really, really good,” said Centeno.

Centeno’s brother Jaime purchased the colt for $8,000 at last year’s OBS October Sale.

“We started training him a little later because we didn’t expect to take him to an April Sale,” Sergio Centeno said. “So we were breaking him a little late to go for the June sale, but then the coronavirus moved all of the sales. But he always showed he had the talent.”

Centeno is also excited about the prospects of a filly he will send out to work Friday at OBS, a daughter of Palace who is catalogued as hip 839.

“She prepped the same day as the colt and same :21 1/5, so I expect big things from her,” he said.

A colt by Shackleford (hip 492) turned in the week’s second fastest quarter-mile breeze so far when covering the distance in :20 2/5 Wednesday. The gray colt is consigned by Fabian Garcia’s Fabian Sales.

“I was thinking of :21 flat, but he got more than that,” Garcia said with a chuckle. “The track has been pretty slow and it’s been raining all week. This morning it was kind of slow, but he just did what he had to do. Since the first time that I breezed him, he showed that he could do it.”

Hip 492 is out of the unraced Capri Song (More Than Ready) and his third dam is multiple Grade I winner Dispute (Danzig). Garcia purchased the youngster for $3,500 at last year’s Keeneland September sale.

“I liked the mare and I liked the pedigree going together,” Garcia said of the colt’s appeal last fall. “I had a Shackleford last year and that was what I liked about the horse–he has the same body as the other one I had last year and I did pretty well with the other one, too. I was just hoping to do better than last year and I think I have.”

Garcia has been consigning under the Fabian Sales banner for the past four years, but is no stranger to the business.

“I’ve been in the horse business for a long time,” he said. “I’ve been an owner for almost 20 years. But I always put it under someone else’s name. I was working with Nick Zito for a long time. I was a groom for him. And now I work for Eddie Woods. It all came together and here we are.”

During his first three years consigning as Fabian Sales, Garcia was selling his own horses, but his seven-horse consignment at the July sale includes juveniles he will offer on behalf of clients.

In addition to hip 492, Garcia has sent out two fillies to work matching furlong times: hip 227, a daughter of You Luckie Mann went in :10 2/5; and hip 404, a filly by Bodemeister, also worked in :10 2/5.

Asked if Eddie Woods had given him any advice heading into the sale, Garcia said, “He tells me some good things that I could do to be better every year. I listen to my boss every time. I try to do good like he does. I want to bring in more clients and pinhook more on my own and have people trust me. And to have people know I can do it.”

An additional five fillies turned in the week’s fastest furlong time of :10 flat Wednesday.

A filly from the first crop of sprint champion Runhappy (hip 428) worked in :10 flat for Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds LLC. The bay is out of Bamboo Dream (Finality) and was purchased by Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo for $70,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale.

Hip 473, a daughter of Palace Malice, worked in :10 flat for Hoppel’s Horse and Cattle Co. Out of Breech Inlet (Holy Bull), the bay is a half-sister to stakes placed Merveilleux (Paynter). Pat Hoppel purchased the youngster for $80,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale.

A daughter of Midshipman (hip 502), consigned by Vargas Sales, also worked in :10 flat. Out of Cat Ten (Greatness), a full-sister to graded placed Flashstorm, she was purchased for $5,000 by Sky High Stables at last year’s Keeneland September sale.

Gene Recio sent out a filly by Maclean’s Music (hip 525) to share the :10 flat bullet time. The dark bay is a daughter of Chokonni (Arch) and from the family of Grade I winner Aldiza. Bred by John Liviakis, the juvenile RNA’d for $37,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November sale and for $14,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale.

A filly by Not This Time (hip 510) was the last of the day’s :10 flat workers when hitting the track late in Wednesday’s third and final set. Consigned by Oscar Brown Stables, the dark bay is out of the unraced Champagne Sparkle (Street Boss) who is a full-sister to Grade I winner Danza and a half to Grade I winner Majestic Harbor (Rockport Harbor). The April foal was purchased by Lewis Lakin for $95,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale.

Sixteen horses have now turned in co-fastest :10 flat works this week at OBS.

The under-tack show continues through Saturday with sessions beginning each day at 7:30 a.m. The July sale will be held next Tuesday through Thursday with bidding commencing at 10 a.m.

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Fasig Implements Safety Protocols For the July HORA Sale

In advance of the upcoming July Horses of Racing Age Sale in Lexington, Kentucky, Fasig-Tipton has instituted the following COVID-19 protocols:

  • Screening measures, including temperature checks and health screening questions, will be in place to gain admittance to the sales grounds for all staff, participants, and attendees;
  • Cloth face coverings are required in accordance with U.S. CDC recommendations;
  • Participants will not be allowed to congregate. At least six feet of distance must be maintained between people;
  • Seating capacity in the sales pavilion will be reduced below 33% of capacity;
  • No food service will be available in the sales pavilion;
  • Valet parking will not be available;
  • Increased cleaning and disinfection procedures will be implemented with regular sanitation of high touch surfaces at least every two hours;
  • Frequent hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is recommended for all attendees;
  •    Fasig-Tipton will also offer online bidding, which debuted at its recent Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. For more information, click here. The company will provide phone bidding services, as well.

The health and safety of sale participants is of paramount importance. These guidelines are intended as a supplement to assist with safe operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and are subject to change.

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